Relay



Patented Feb. 20, 1951 RELAY Edward Bando, Dayton, Ohio, assignortoStandard Dayton Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication September 17, 1947, Serial No. 774,509

Claims.

This invention relates to a relay and more particularly to a relay ofthe type adapted for low cost mass production. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a relay which may be madeat a low cost and which includes improved means for adjusting the springtension and the air gap of the relay. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable relay usingsimple stampings for the main parts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a compact relay inwhich the terminals are effectively insulated from one another.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention reside in theconstruction and combination of parts and in the mode of operation aswill be apparent from the following description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the pres entinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved relay;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the relay; and

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the relay.

This invention relates to an art in which a large number of patents havebeen granted and in which a large number of relay devices operating onthe same general principles, as the one disclosed herein, are on themarket and have been on the market for some time. It is an object ofthis invention to provide an improved relay which makes it possible tosave on the cost of manufacture and at the same tim provide thenecessary adjustable means for enabling the re lay to compete with moreexpensive types of relays now on the market.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have shown a preferred form ofmy invention, reference numeral Iii designates an insulating base orrelay mounting member on which terminals !2 and 54 are riveted orotherwise secured. The terminals l2 and [4 are connected to the wires I6which are connected to the main relay coil [8 which surrounds the usualmagnetic core 29. The wires it are held in proper spaced relationship bymeans of the insulating member H which is provided with notches 23 forreceiving the wires IS. A stamped sheet metal frame member 24 serves topivotally support the armature 2t relative to the core 26 in the mannerindicated. The armature 26 is made in the form of a stamped sheet metalmember which is provided with a pair of depending arms 28 and 30whichare arranged as shown. Circuit making and breaking mechiii the switchcontacts move into engagement.

anism is provided whiclrincludes a stationary contact 36 carried by thestamping 35 and a movable contact 34 carried by the leaf spring 32Iwhich in turn is carried by the armature 26.

It will be noted that the arm 3%? serves as. a 5170p, f r l miti g theseparation of the contacts and forlimiting the movement of the armature.

26. The arm 28 serves to engage the midportion of the leaf spring 32which carries the movable contact 34 so as to back up the leaf springafter y bending the arm 28 so as to move it closer to the leaf spring 32it will engage the leaf spring 32 soon after the movable contact strikesthe stationary contact 36 and will serve to increase Elsie relativepressure between the contacts 34 and The stamping 35 which supports thestationary contact 36 includes a terminal portion 38 for use inconnecting the relay into the circuit (not shown) which is to becontrolled by the relay. The stamping or contact supporting bracket, 35is held in place between the lower insulating plate in and a relativelythick plate of insulation 49 which spaces the stamping 35 and the lowerhorizontalarm of the frame 24.

The movable leaf spring 28 may be attached. to the armature 24 by meansof a rivet d2 or any other suitable means. It will be noted that theleaf spring 28 is L-shaped whereby the movable contact 3'4 is given awiping action after it contactsthe stationary contact.

The armature 26 is provided with a notched projection 50 whichcooperates with the main relay spring 52. The upper end of the spring 52being adapted to engage in eith r one of the two sets of notchesprovided on the extension 53, and the lower end of the spring is adaptedto (3L- gage the notched lug 54 which is formed as an integral part ofthe main frame 24. By shifting the upper end of the spring 52 from theone set of notches to the other set of notches, it is obvious that, thespring tension is changed. This feature provides a simple arrangementfor adjusting the spring tension which eliminates the need for theconventional adjusting screw.

Reference numeral 66 designates a flexible connection or pig tail foconnecting the armature to the frame 24. As best shown in Figures 2 and3, the main frame 24 is provided with an integral extension 62 whichserves as the terminal for the movable contact 34. Thus when the relayis energized, the contacts 34 and 36 are moved into engagement with oneanother so as to com lete the circuit from the terminal. 62

through the frame 24, pig tail 60, spring arm 32, and contacts 35 and 36to the terminal 38.

By virtue of the above described arrangement, it is obvious that themain parts of the relay are made from inexpensive stampings andnotwithstanding the fact that the main parts are made from stampings,various adjustments may be made without the necessity for providing theusual adjusting screws commonly used in relays. It is also apparent thatthe terminals are adequately insulated from one another so as toeliminate any danger of short circuiting due to faulty insulation or dueto terminals being mounted too close to one another. It will be noted(see Figure 1) that one of the lead wires l6 which is connected to thebottom layer Of the wires forming coil l8 fits within a groove 25 formedin the insulating member 2|. The member 21 constitutes one end of thebobbin on which the coil 18 is wound and consequently the groove 25 incombination with the adjacent notch 23 serves as a convenient means foholding the one lead wire in an out of the way place during the coilwinding operation.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Automatic relay means comprising a core member, a coil surroundingsaid core member, an insulating base for supporting said core, terminalsconnected to said coil and carried by said base member, an L-shapedbracket, an armature pivotally supported by the upper portion of saidbracket, an L-shaped spring contact support secured to said armature andhaving a first portion arranged in the plane of said armature and havinga second portion arranged substantially at right angles to the saidfirst portion, said armature having a pair of divergent arms overhangingone side of said bracket and disposed between said second portion ofsaid contact support and said bracket with one of said arms arranged toried by said base member, an L-shaped bracket, r

an armature pivotally supported by the upper portion of said bracket, anL-shaped spring contact support secured to said armature and having afirst portion arranged in the plane of said armature and having a secondportion arranged at right angles to the said first portion, saidarmature having a pair of divergent arms overhanging one side of saidbracket and disposed between said second portion of said contact support and said bracket with one of said arms ar ranged to engage saidbracket for limiting the movement of said armature away from said coreand another of said arms having a portion for engagement with saidspring contact support, a stationary contact supported by saidinsulating base, a movable contact carried by said second portion ofsaid spring contact support for engagement with said stationary contact.

3. Automatic relay means comprising a core, a

coil surrounding said core, an insulating base for supporting said core,terminals connected to said coil and carried by said base, an L-shapedbracket, an armature pivotally supported by the upper portion of saidbracket, an L-shaped spring contact support secured to said armature andhaving a first portion arranged in the plane of said armature and havinga second portion arranged at right angles to the said first portion, amovable contact carried by said second portion of said spring contactsupport, a stationary contact carried by said base and arranged to beengaged by said movable contact so as to limit the movement of saidmovable contact, said armature having a pair of divergent armsoverhanging one side of said bracket and dis posed between said secondportion of said contact support and said bracket with one of said armsarranged to engage said bracket for 1imiting the movement of saidarmature away from said core and another of said arms having a portionfor engagement with said second por tion of said spring contact support,and an irsulating block spacing said insulating base and said L-shapedbracket.

1-. Automatic relay means comprising a core member, a coil surroundingsaid core member including a pair of lead wires, an insulating base forsupporting said core, terminals connected to said lead wires and carried:by said base member, an Lshaped bracket, an armature pivotallysupported by the upper portion of said bracket, an L-shaped springcontact support secured to said armature and having a first portionarranged in the plane of said armature and having a second portionarranged at right angles to the said first portion, a movable contactcarr :v said second portion of said sprin contact support, a stationarycontact carried by said base and arranged to be engaged by saidmovcontact so as to limit the movement of said movable contact, saidarmature having a pair of divergent arms overhanging one side of saidbracket and disposed between said second portion of said contact supportand said bracket with one of said arms arranged to engage said bracketfor limiting the movement of said armature away from said core andanother said arms having a portion for engagement with said springcontact support, an insulating mem ber insulating said coil from saidL-shaped bracket, said insulating member having a projecting portionprovided with notches for rece ving said lead wires so as to hold saidlead WllSS in a predetermined spaced relationship.

5. Circuit making and breaking mechanism comprising a core, a coilsurrounding said core, an insulating base for supporting said core,terminals connected to said coil and carried by said base member, anL-shaped bracket, an armature pivotally supported by the upper portionof said bracket, an L-shaped spring contact support secured to saidarmature and having a first por tion arranged in the plane of saidarmature and havin a second portion arranged at right angles to the saidfirst portion, said armature having a pair of divergent arms overhangingone side said bracket and disposed between said second portion of saidcontact support and said bracket with one of said arms arranged to saidbracket for limiting the movement of said armature away from said core,and another of said arms having a portion for engagement with saidspring contact support, a stationary pontact supported by saidinsulating base, a movable 5 7, contact carried by said second portionof said contact support and arranged for engagement with said stationarycontact, and a stamped sheet metal member comprising a first portion forsupporting said stationary contact and a second portion comprising aterminal for said stationery contact, said bracket having an integrallyformed terminal portion projecting from the lower end thereof for use inconveying electricity to and from said movable contact.

EDWARD B-ANDO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gernsback Dec. 20, 1910 Number NumberNumber

